Sickness in the Heart
by region-discontinued
Summary: Jamie is getting sick, but he doesn't have the heart to tell Jack what is wrong. Will Jack find out in time to say goodbye?
1. Chapter 1

**So yay, this is my second story! I'm working on getting longer chapter, as my first fanfic was only like 400 words -_- **

**This one is going to be sad, but I hope you enjoy it anyways ^_^**

**Disclaimer:**** In no way do I own Rise of the Guardians, even though I wish I did**

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Jamie stood in frozen horror as he digested the news he had just received. Blood drained from his face, so it was as pale as the snow raging outside the hospital. He received sympathetic glances from nurses and patients within the room. After several minutes a doctor approached the teen and gently placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. Jamie swayed under his touch, '_Am I already getting that weak?'_

He couldn't hear what the doctor was saying, something about "going home" and "getting some rest". He took unsteady steps towards the double doors. He crossed the parking lot, stumbling a few times, but managed to reach his car without falling. He buckled himself in and slowly drove home. It wasn't the safest ride in the world, saying as he was driving in such a daze he could barely see the road ahead of him. He eventually arrived home and stumbled through the door, flipping on the lights so an empty house. His parents were at work, evidently they both worked night shifts, and Sophie was staying with a friend that night. That left the 17 year old boy by himself. Having nothing to do except think about his slowly deteriorating life, he lay down on his bed. He glanced at the frosted window and wondered when his winter spirit would show up. Jack promised to visit that night, but Jamie wasn't so sure about it now. '_Would he be able to tell that there was something off?' _He wanted to tell Jack about what was happening, to have anyone know what he was going through, but he knew Jack would only worry.

Since he was debating with himself in his head, he was oblivious to said winter spirit creaking open his window and crawling through. "Hey Jamie" Jack said very merrily, smile spread across his freezing face. Jamie didn't hear him though, so Jack's face slipped into a frown. He placed a chilled hand on Jamie's shoulder and shook the boy. Jamie slowly looked up to see the worried winter spirit. "You okay?"

"Yeah," Jamie lied through his teeth. "Just a little tired." It hurt him to lie like that, to Jack of all people, but honestly, how could he ever tell him that he had cancer.

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After Jamie had reassured him that he was alright Jack left the boy so he could sleep. Jack was currently on his route to the North Pole. As he glided over rooftops and billboards he thought about Jamie. He said he was alright, and Jack wanted to trust him, but his actions and appearance suggested otherwise. Jamie had always been slim, but he looked especially scrawny. He was paler as well, not as white as Jack, but still very pale. His actions were rather peculiar as well. Usually whenever Jack came to visit Jamie was bouncing off the walls, running his mouth a mile a minute, talking about his friends, family, and school. Tonight though, he just lay in his bed, claiming to be "tired".

Jack arrived at the pole and Phil let him in. As he entered he made a bee line to North's office and let himself inside. As he opened the wooden door he managed to break an ice butterfly that was flying around the room. "Oops." Jack shrugged his shoulders and half heartedly mumbled "Sorry."

North clenched his fists and growled in a thick Russian accent "What is the matter with you?"

Jack crossed the room and collapsed on the couch beside the desk, letting his staff fall to the floor. "I'm so confused."

North leaned forward in his seat "What is troubling you?"

"Jamie's been acting…weird." Jack wasn't exactly sure how to describe so North would understand. "He's just been different, lying in bed when I came to visit and he said he was tired." Jack sighed. "He is usually excited, and happy, and so full of energy, but he was different."

"Well, did you try asking him what was wrong?" Jack tried not to glare at him when he asked that. "Duh, but he just said he was tired, but what kind of an excuse is that? He's _never_ acted like that before, something is up and he isn't telling me."

North sighed, understanding the young guardian's problem. "Well, just go see him tomorrow," when Jack did not respond he continued in a whisper "We both know how much he loves and cares about you, if something is up he will surely tell you," now continuing his boisterous usual voice, "but what could the worst be, it is probably nothing."

Jack sighed as well and mumbled to himself. Picking up his staff and making his way to the door he glanced behind him "I hope you're right, I hope it really is nothing."


	2. Chapter 2

Jamie watched Jack fly out into the night sky. Now that the spirit was gone he felt so lonely. He hurt inside, knowing he lied like that to him, and he knew Jack could tell he was lying. He could see curiosity and unease in his hypnotic blue eyes. He wanted to confide in him what he was going through, but how would that help? What could Jack do?

He drifted off into a restless slumber, waking up every few hours, only to check the clock and curse under his breath. After waking the fourth time he decided to give up on sleep. He went to make breakfast for himself. Alone in the kitchen, sitting over a plate of waffles, covered in syrup, he thought about his family. How would he tell them? They knew he was going to the hospital, that something was off. None of them thought it would be so severe though. He finished his breakfast and deposited his dishes in the sink. Trudging up the stairs he grabbed a towel and headed to the bathroom for a shower.

Once covered in the warm water he let his slim fingers trail down his abdomen. He stopped at his hips, feeling the bones jut out, almost as if it would break the skin. Being so slim before, there was not as much weight left to lose. He started washing his body and almost instantly felt an ache deep in his bone. Lathering shampoo into his brown locks, he heard his mother come through the door. He hurried and rinsed his hair. Shutting off the water he quickly dried and he put on sweat pants and a white undershirt. Exiting the bathroom he could hear his mother walking through the house downstairs, probably looking for him. He quietly crept up behind her and tapped her shoulder. She whirled around to face her son, and embraced him in a hug.

"How'd it go, sweetie, is everything alright?" Jamie could hear the sincere worry in her voice. He pulled away, out of the hug and looked into her eyes. He sighed, telling her this would break her heart, but waiting and letting her find out after it was too late would only make it worse.

He shook his head and watched panic mix in with the worry struck on her face. "What!?" she looked absolutely mortified, "What's wrong then?" Jamie took her hand and led her up the stairs and into his own room. He went to his desk and picked up a folder, which contained all the papers he had received the previous night. He handed it to her and sat down on his bed, watching her read. Suddenly she threw the papers on the floor in front of her and burst out sobbing.

She didn't say anything for a few minutes, only choking out strangled sobs. Jamie stood up and pulled her into a warm hug, tears of his own filling up his eyes. They stayed like that for a while until she calmed down enough to speak. "How did you get this sick, you left with what you thought was a bad fever, and came back with….with this!" she gestured to the papers scattered on the floor. Jamie squeezed her tighter and tried to blink away the tears threatening to spill.

"I don't know how long I've been like this mom, but they think it was…a while." He pulled back and looked her in the eyes. "You know what that means, right?" She shook her head, not because she didn't know though, she did. It was because she knew, she knew all too well, she was only trying to deny it. Jamie tried denying it as well, but he could only deny it for so long. With how far along he was, there were no treatment options.

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**Woot! Second chapter, finished. Sorry it took so long though. School is being stupid and I also had to read more into the sickness that Jamie has :P**

**I will try to update sooner now though, so until next time...**


	3. Chapter 3

Jack arrived at Jamie's house the following day. Unlatching the lock on the window and sliding it open, he slid inside and crumpled to the floor. He looked around only to find the room completely Jamie free. He walked out of the room and roamed the house. After about a half hour of fruitless searching he retreated back to Jamie's room.

Walking around he counted seven clay pots, some looking rather new, with messy designs and uneven edges. Turning them over he found either Jamie's or Sophie's name crudely painted on with a fat paintbrush. Browsing the walls he found lots of artwork. Most of them had been drawn and colored by Sophie, but a few of them had Jamie's name in crayon in the corner.

He crossed the room and sat in the chair that was placed in front of the desk. Placed on the desk was a very simple picture frame that contained a picture of Jamie, Sophie, and their parents. All of them were smiling at the camera, looking like the family Jack used to wish for.

Something below the picture frame caught his eye. A folder sat on the desk, it was labeled _Hospital of Burgess_ on the front in big bold letters. Jack opened the folder and took out the single piece of paper inside. He skimmed through it, reading a few words and numbers here and there. He looked at the date in the corner and saw that this paper was given to him the night Jack visited. _The night he was acting weird_. Jack decided that whatever this was, it was extremely important. His eyes trailed up back to the top and he continued reading, except this time he read _all _of the words. He got to the line "diagnosed with…" and gasped at the words that had followed. He knew what is meant. He knew it was bad. He had seen people that had had it before, none of their stories ended happily. He knew Jamie didn't have much time, he needed treatment soon or he would end up like every other patient that Jack knew.

_Where is he now? It's getting late and Jamie should be home._ He paced the floors, anxiously awaiting Jamie's return. _Should I be mad? _he thought. _Why didn't he tell me, he can tell me anything. _

He paced around the room for a good ten minutes before he heard the front door open and close. He could hear Jamie's mother talking, her voice raw as if she had been sobbing for hours. _That's not good_. He heard quick, light footsteps bounding up the stairs and assumed it was Sophie going to her room. Slower, heavier footsteps followed and Jack could hear them approaching the door to Jamie's room. The door creaked open slowly and Jamie shuffled into the room. He looked absolutely terrible. He had dark black circles underneath his eyes, and his close hung loosely from his sickly slender frame. Jamie looked up and his tired eyes widened. Before he could say a word, or ask why he was there, the winter spirit took two steps, crossing the entire room, and embraced the boy in a bone breaking hug. It lasted a few moments before Jack broke away and slapped the sick brunette harshly across the face. Jamie staggered across the floor before gripping his bed post, regaining his balance. He cupped his stinging cheek in his hand and looked at the spirit in complete shock.

"How could you not tell me?" Jack hissed. He filled with anger. He was angry with Jamie for not telling him, and he was angry with himself for not seeing any of the signs. "I thought you could trust me with anything?"

Jamie sighed and straightened his back out, letting go of his now red cheek. "Yes. I could have told you Jack, but what would that accomplish? What would you do if you knew? Nothing can be done about It Jack, I just didn't want you to worry."

Now Jack was confused again. "What do you mean 'Nothing can be done about it'?" Jack gestured to the folder still sitting on Jamie's desk. "Just go in for treatment."

Jamie sadly shook his head, "It's not as simple as that, Jack. The doctors don't know how long I've had it for, but they say that I have ran out of time." Jack could see tears forming in the boy's eyes. "They say I don't _have_ any treatment options."

Jack couldn't believe his ears. Of course he had treatment options, didn't he? He sat down in the desk chair, and he put his head in his hands. He heard Jamie cross the room and place a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry though." Jack jerked his head up and rose out of the chair. "Why are you _sorry_?"

"I'm sorry for not telling you, I guess I should have, you have a right to know what's going on." Jamie tried to smile, but there was still sadness glazed over his eyes. Jack brought the boy back into another hug, this one much gentler than the previous though. "Don't be sorry, I understand why you didn't want to tell me." Jack could feel tears of his own filling up his eyes and slowly trickling down his pale face. He hugged the boy tighter, he never wanted to let him go. If he let him go, and if he left now, what if he didn't come back in time?


End file.
